Carolina Beach Ferris Wheel back up and running
CAROLINA BEACH, NC (WWAY) – It was lights out for the Carolina Beach Ferris Wheel after lightning put the nearly 100- foot attraction out of commission.
Getting the Ferris Wheel back up running wasn’t an easy task.
The small beach front amusement park at Carolina Beach is quiet in the mornings as workers do maintenance on the rides – but that changes as it gets later in the day, according to amusement park owner Ken Cofer.
“Right now, we’re open seven days a week, open at 5 (p.m.),” he said. “I think that we’re opening on the weekends now sometimes, at one o’clock – weather permitting.”
Cofer hopes a storm like the one that came in shore on July 2nd and put the Ferris Wheel out of commission doesn’t happen again.
“We think it was lighting damage, and to one of the computer parts so we had to get some new software brought in,” he said.
And have a specialist fly in to reprogram it.
Harlan Bast owns the Ferris wheel and said one side of the lights had to be replaced – and are all custom made.
Each light on the Ferris Wheel is intricately made, and can’t be bought at a corner store.
“The other side was pretty lit with the old lights,” said Bast. “We’re going to redo that after the season, we don’t want the Ferris Wheel to be out three more days.”
Bast said he is happy he is able to give the town, its tourists and residence what they said they’d deliver.
The Ferris Wheel will now light up the skyline – along with the many rides the park has to offer.
Tourists Olivia Mwangi and Sarah Halnan weren’t expecting to see beach front amusement park on their way to the beach.
“I’m from Raleigh, and we only get to see this during the state fair,” said Mwangi. “Coming to the Beach over the summer, it’s kind of fun seeing Ferris Wheels and Stuff.”
“Yeah, same, there’s no rides at the beach in Australia so this is really cool,” said Halnan.
According to Cofer the Ferris Wheel and beach front amusement park has been popular, which he considers a success.
“I just left a meeting, with people with town hall,” he said. “That’s actually helping keeping all of this stuff together, keeping it alive.”
Most rides will be removed and stored off site after Labor Day to make room for October Fest is planned for next month.
The main section which includes the Ferris Wheel will remain.
The Ferris Wheel can host private events like gender reveal parties where the lights are programmed to surprised the expectants couples, contat Harlan Bast at 954-415-1160 for more information.
According to Cofer, a new ride is set to make its debut this weekend, if everything goes as planned.
For more information, click here.
